The death toll from the widespread floods and landslides triggered by days of heavy monsoon rain in Southeast Asia has risen to more than 400, according to updated assessments from regional authorities on Saturday. Rescue teams across Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia continued large-scale operations through the weekend as thousands of people remained stranded, many of them waiting on rooftops or in partially submerged homes for emergency assistance. The severe weather, intensified by a tropical cyclone, has affected large areas of the three countries and disrupted access to several remote districts.
Indonesia has recorded the highest number of casualties so far. On the island of Sumatra, extensive flooding and multiple landslides have resulted in over 300 confirmed deaths. Officials reported that North Sumatra province alone accounted for 166 fatalities, while West Sumatra registered 90 and Aceh reported 47. The head of the National Disaster Agency, Suharyanto, said that at least 279 people remain missing, raising concerns that the final death toll may increase as search teams reach isolated communities. Tens of thousands of residents have been evacuated to temporary shelters, and responders are working to reopen roads and restore communication lines that were cut off by the disaster.
Thailand is also facing its most significant flooding emergency in nearly a decade. Authorities estimate that more than 3.8 million people have been affected nationwide, with extensive damage to over 1.4 million households. The southern province of Songkhla has been among the hardest hit, with floodwaters rising up to three metres in certain areas. Officials confirmed 162 deaths across eight provinces, noting that prolonged rainfall and overflowing rivers contributed to the scale of destruction. During a visit to an evacuee shelter, Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul expressed condolences to affected families and pledged swift recovery efforts, stating that authorities aim to carry out district-level cleanup operations within two weeks. In Hat Yai, one of the worst-affected cities, hospital workers were forced to temporarily move bodies into refrigerated trucks after morgue facilities exceeded capacity.
In Malaysia, two people have been confirmed dead following severe flooding linked to the same weather system. The country’s foreign affairs ministry reported that more than 6,000 Malaysians stranded in Thailand’s Hat Yai region had been safely rescued. Emergency teams remain on standby as authorities monitor water levels in several flood-prone districts.
Across Southeast Asia, governments have announced relief measures including financial assistance for families who lost loved ones, emergency shelter support, and coordinated rescue deployments to remote regions. Meteorological agencies in the region continue to warn of potential additional rainfall in the coming days, urging residents to remain alert as recovery efforts move forward.
